CONSTRUCTION THREAD: Magnolia Park Town Center

[gman430]

Those are not the tenants greenvilleguy but rather just names they stuck on the rendering to show how the building will look.

[gman430]

I think i'm going to be sick: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/PlanningZoning/PlanningApplications/Applications/2011/SEPTEMBER/PlanningCommission/09-08-2011/Z-32-2011-1025WoodruffRd.pdf The vomit bags are located in the seat pocket in front of you. Thank you for flying with us today.

[motonenterprises]

I'd much rather something higher end comes here.

[Birdbrain]

Citylife - toss me the other barf bag.  :-)

So I was kidding in previous posts that Magnolia was becoming Cherrydale 2. Well, campers, it looks like Magnolia really IS becoming Cherrydale 2.  Just to refresh everyone's memory, here's the Menin site plan for Magnolia.  

The Zoning plan from Citylife's post only shows Big Boxes and a sea of parking.  Where's the "Town Center" going to be now? And the quaint walkways, the outside cafe's, and the retail-residential buildings? The five-story buildings? Even the multiple parking decks are now gone, leaving only one behind Regal. I dunno. I just had my hopes up that this development would be different. Oh well.

[Gville2012]

Birdman - I agree. Maybe we should start hoping that with the Toy's R Us and Baby's R Us move someone will go in and redevelop those two stretches of land (along with the that other development planned over there) and we can see an actual "Town Center" in the future "Up Town". Looks like it is time to give up on Magnolia and its developers.

[GvilleSC]

So, the area's designation as "planned development" zoning has gotten us this? I'm going to need several of those bags, Citylife.

Where's McChesney!? The Point holds some great possibilities still, and I agree with dwfrp2010 that maybe Haywood will now have some open land for some truly great development. Something "planned" would be nice.

[StrangeCock]

I guess they put "Future Development" on the specs because the contracts aren't signed with Cato and Check-Into-Cash yet.

[GVLbikeNboard]

You guys can keep your barf bags....

...because I have a collection of grocery bags under the sink for myself. This whole thing has gone from 'great idea', to 'well, not as good but still acceptable', to just plain 'terrible'. If I weren't so set on getting a job at REI (please please please) I'd be swearing off Woodruff Rd completely. Heck, today was the first time I've been out there in probably more than two months.

[mallguy]

I find it odd that the Greenville Mall corpse (the vacant Montgomery Ward & Sports Authority) is still included as part of the development.

Will the developer be leaving that building covered in tarp to cover up the mall corridor as it continues towards where Harold's and Drexel Heritage were?

Also, so many of the buildings are "Future" buildings- after all of these years, surely they'd found tenants by now?

[vistatiger]

Two more empty big boxes on Haywood. Not Good. What does this leave TJMaxx and Havertys as the only two major retailers left on Haywood other than the mall anchors. Guess they will bolt for Woodruff and the Magnolia Park Strip Center before long. This is not good for the reaturants and smaller businesses along Haywood. Some of the Haywood Mall anchors like JCP could easily move to stand alone stores along Woodruff too. I would hate to see Haywood turn into a half vacant mall much like the aging Columbia Mall and area around it in Columbia.

[GvilleSC]

^^^ That's the amazing thing, is that Haywood is a very successful mall. It has high end retailers, and is a regional destination. Somehow the Haywood corridor is losing tenants, but the mall is almost full. ...And everyone swears they avoid Woodruff Rd and hate the traffic...

[Gville2012]

Greenville needs to enact the uptown plan and get things going on Haywood to get something sparked over there. It is just crazy seeing some of these new developments down in places like Florida where the city or county is redoing the roads to make them boulevard type roads with plenty of development underway (and done tastefully) with mixed use and parking lots in the back or middle). Then you see Haywood road and it is just sad. I guess this goes for all the other urban sprawl around Greenville that everyone talks about. It looked like Magnolia Park was going to have a chance based on that original rendering (thanks to birdbrain for re-posting that, I had never seen it I dont think) but the new rendering is just sad.

[Danmire]

What works against Haywood Rd is that it is a State owned road.  DOT has the control over what can and can't be done to improving the road etc.

[RiverWalker]

I find it odd that the Greenville Mall corpse (the vacant Montgomery Ward & Sports Authority) is still included as part of the development.

Will the developer be leaving that building covered in tarp to cover up the mall corridor as it continues towards where Harold's and Drexel Heritage were?

Also, so many of the buildings are "Future" buildings- after all of these years, surely they'd found tenants by now?

Hm. Compare pages 11 and 12 to, say, pages 7 and 10. The "existing building" adjacent to Regal Cinema suddenly appears to have been transmogrified into several "future building" spaces. If anything I'd say this suggests that MDC is still deciding what to do with the old MW/SA structure.

[vicupstate]

Greenville needs to enact the uptown plan and get things going on Haywood to get something sparked over there. It is just crazy seeing some of these new developments down in places like Florida where the city or county is redoing the roads to make them boulevard type roads with plenty of development underway (and done tastefully) with mixed use and parking lots in the back or middle). Then you see Haywood road and it is just sad. I guess this goes for all the other urban sprawl around Greenville that everyone talks about. It looked like Magnolia Park was going to have a chance based on that original rendering (thanks to birdbrain for re-posting that, I had never seen it I dont think) but the new rendering is just sad.

I agree. While the mall is still strong, if the area surrounding it continues to lose ground, eventually the mall will follow suit. The city needs to revive the "Uptown" effort somehow.

[greenvilleguy]

Cheddar's opened today. It's a beautiful restaurant and the food is great. Hard to believe that both the Menin website and the Magnolia Park website did NOTHING to promote the grand opening. Seems like they would be excited to show people that something is finally coming out of that pile of dirt!

Edited September 19, 2011 by greenvilleguy

[HomerJay]

At the last Planning Commission meeting, the developer said they were planning to construct a proper town center for the site. Apparently, they have been talking to the architect (designer?) who was involved with Easton Town Center outside of Columbus, OH. I've been to Easton and it's pretty nice. But, what distinguishes Easton is that it is somewhat in the middle of nowhere, not in the middle of the mess that is Woodruff Road. I'm interested to see how it all pans out.

Also, somewhat comically, the site plans for Phase IV were criticized for using magnolia trees in the parking lot, which apparently is inappropriate. The developer didn't seem too perturbed, saying they only picked those trees because of the name of the project.

[GvilleSC]

At the last Planning Commission meeting, the developer said they were planning to construct a proper town center for the site. Apparently, they have been talking to the architect (designer?) who was involved with Easton Town Center outside of Columbus, OH. I've been to Easton and it's pretty nice. But, what distinguishes Easton is that it is somewhat in the middle of nowhere, not in the middle of the mess that is Woodruff Road. I'm interested to see how it all pans out. Also, somewhat comically, the site plans for Phase IV were criticized for using magnolia trees in the parking lot, which apparently is inappropriate. The developer didn't seem too perturbed, saying they only picked those trees because of the name of the project.

That sounds rather comical, and like amateur hour. I hope they do follow through with the town center and it's worthy of the location. Mixture of uses would have the potential to save this center's image in my mind. Assuming it was done well...

[Birdbrain]

At the last Planning Commission meeting, the developer said they were planning to construct a proper town center for the site. Apparently, they have been talking to the architect (designer?) who was involved with Easton Town Center outside of Columbus, OH. I've been to Easton and it's pretty nice. But, what distinguishes Easton is that it is somewhat in the middle of nowhere, not in the middle of the mess that is Woodruff Road. I'm interested to see how it all pans out. Also, somewhat comically, the site plans for Phase IV were criticized for using magnolia trees in the parking lot, which apparently is inappropriate. The developer didn't seem too perturbed, saying they only picked those trees because of the name of the project.

Which DEVELOPERS do you mean? The ones who've turned Greenville Mall into shambles and left it that way, or the ones who are out-parceling every square inch to restaurants, discount clothing, mega-shoe-shops, and check-cashing joints? (And a sea of parking...) Town Center my foot.

Hey - I actually went a whole post on Magnolia and didn't call it "Cherrydale 2!" ...oops...

[mallguy]

Please tell me that there's not a check-cashing joint coming to Magnolia Park- that was just linguistics, right?

[Birdbrain]

Please tell me that there's not a check-cashing joint coming to Magnolia Park- that was just linguistics, right?

Just kidding about the check-cashing - I was listing the most horrid I could think of. And since all the originally cited "interested" stores have fled Magnolia like it was radioactive, I suspect the venture will only be left with "lesser" shops unless something BIG changes. (Apologies - not meaning to call any business "lesser" such as nail salons, check-cashing, and rent-a-rims, etc. I applaud small business owners and their entrepeneurial spirit.)

Here's a thought that suddenly crosses over to another thread on this board - why not take the smoking shambles of Magnolia Park and just make a really "nice," if such an adjective applies, OUTLET MALL. Then, my freinds, we would not need Gaffney for anything other than peaches.

(That's all kidding, too. Gaffney is lovely and so is (are?) their Outlet Mall,rug-and-home store, and 33 thousand peach stands.)

[mallguy]

Magnolia Park should get a Saks Off Fifth and a Nordstrom Rack and the like- that would help differentiate it from every other bland strip center in Greenville and attract people from Haywood and Greenridge.

Oh, I forget- I was talking about Magnolia Park...Won't happen. Maybe Greenridge will get such stores.

[Greenville]

I still have high hopes for Crescent Place town center. It would be a perfect complement to Haywood, and also help the Uptown master plan get off to a great start. The fact that Magnolia Park has not developed as expected means that a real opportunity exists for a true town center style development - provided the right people are behind it.

[awp69]

Been a while since I've read these boards, but whatever happened to that something USA place that was announced (believe it sounded like something between Gattitown and Dave and Busters)?

Not that I really wanted something like that in Magnolia Park (and if we did, I'd prefer D&B).

[Birdbrain]

Been a while since I've read these boards, but whatever happened to that something USA place that was announced (believe it sounded like something between Gattitown and Dave and Busters)? Not that I really wanted something like that in Magnolia Park (and if we did, I'd prefer D&B).

For that matter, what happened to Bass Pro Shops? Did they change their mind AGAIN?

Nope, I am not going to bring up the proposed Cheesecake Factory, which we also haven't heard diddly about... Ooops.